See 8 Design Hacks That Tackle Environmental Disaster

A new exhibit at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam presents innovations in contemporary design.

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Helmut Smits – The Real Thing

It takes three liters of water to produce a single liter of Coca-Cola. Yet even in places where clean drinking water is scarce, such as parts of India and Namibia, bottles of Coke are readily available. Designer Helmut Smits’ device uses a distillation process to boil and purify the soda, reverting it to drinkable water.

(Photo: Helmut Smits)

Marjan Van Aubel – Current Window

Designer Marjan van Aubel found inspiration in the process of photosynthesis, which uses the green pigment chlorophyll, to convert light energy into chemical energy. For this window, van Aubel placed dye-sensitized solar cells between two layers of glass. Current Window looks like a typical stained-glass window, but it also harnesses enough solar energy to power phones, tablets, and computers.

(Photo: Wai Ming Ng)

Dirk Van Der Kooij – Not Only Hollow Chair

Designer Dirk Vander Kooij built a 3-D printer out of an old automotive robot. The printer uses melted-down recycled plastic to create vases, tables, lamps, and chairs.

(Photo: Loek Blonk)

Patrick Kruithof – Hollyhock Paving Stone

Patrick Kruithof designed this paving stone to encourage locals to take an active role in caring for the environment. A hollyhock is placed in the center of a stone and supported by small bamboo pegs to allow it to grow tall and strong. More than 300 hollyhock tiles were planted throughout Rotterdam, each one paired with a volunteer who agreed to take responsibility for the plant’s care.

(Photo: The Moment Company)

Pieter Stoutjesdijk – Shelter for Haiti

Designer Pieter Stoutjesdijk created this simple shelter in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. It’s composed of what he calls ECOboards, which consist of grass, wood chippings, and excess crop waste. The slanted roof collects rainwater, which can be purified on-site for consumption.

(Photo: Pieter Stoujesdijk)

Boyan Slat – The Ocean Cleanup

At 19, Boyan Slat developed the Ocean Cleanup project, which aims to collect some of the 8 million tons of plastic waste dumped into the world’s oceans annually. Large V-shaped floating containment booms placed in ocean currents capture plastics and funnel them toward a central storage platform. Slat raised more than $2 million to build a prototype, which is being field-tested in the North Sea. Although many conservationists are hopeful the project will cut down on ocean pollution, some fear the filtration system could prove harmful to wildlife.

(Photo: Erwin Zwart/The Ocean Cleanup)

Studio Drift – The Obsidian Project

Formed when lava erupts from a volcano, obsidian is considered a semiprecious gemstone and is often used to make jewelry. Designers Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta of Studio Drift found a way to produce synthetic obsidian while also disposing of harmful chemical waste. Using high-temperature furnaces that mimic volcanic conditions, the pair heat the waste into a black liquid. They then pour it into a mold, creating objects like the mirror shown here.

(Photo: Erik and Petra Hesmerg)

Studio Rooseguard – Smog Free Project

Designer Daan Roosegaarde created the Smog Free Tower, a 23-foot-tall cone-shaped structure in Rotterdam that uses ion technology to filter polluted air. The soot collected in the tower is then used to make rings, cuff links, and other jewelry.

Portrait Series Shows the Many Faces of Sikhism in America

A public transportation employee, a professional trumpet player, and a high school student. A new portrait series celebrates Sikh Americans and how they incorporate religious identity into their daily lives.

"Here are a group of people who wear turbans on their heads and don't cut their hair," London-based photographers Amit and Naroop wrote in an email to TakePart. "They do this with pride. It is not a fashion accessory. It is fundamental to who they are."

The pair revealed their first iteration of the photo series in the U.K. in 2014, featuring 36 British Sikhs. This year, they teamed up with the New York–based Sikh Coalition to photograph American Sikhs, and their work will be featured in September in an installation commemorating the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

In the aftermath of 9/11, Sikhs experienced a spike in persecution and hate crimes in much the same way Muslim Americans did. Both male and female adherents of Sikhism often refrain from cutting their hair and wear turbans to demonstrate devotion to their faith.

"The consequences of 9/11 were disastrous," Amit and Naroop wrote. "One subject we photographed for the exhibition told [us] before 9/11 people would look at him and say, 'Hey, there is a genie.' After 9/11 they would say, 'Hey, there is a terrorist.' "

Many of the series' subjects have experienced discrimination, but all have stayed true to their beliefs in the face of bigotry—a commitment the photographers hope will inspire gallerygoers.

"People viewing the images or attending the exhibition should feel like they have gained some knowledge about Sikhs, but also some more knowledge about themselves," the pair wrote. "They have just seen a bunch of people who will stay true to their beliefs regardless of persecution and prejudice. The question is, would you be willing to do the same? Would you stand up for what you believe in?"

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The future poses uncertain challenges but also contains limitless potential for human ingenuity. Innovators around the globe are creating more effective shelters for those affected by natural disasters, a method for completely recycling chemical waste, and other inventions designed to better our world.

Each year the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam gathers some of the most innovative Dutch artists and designers to present the latest in art, design, and technology. This year’s exhibit, Dream Out Loud: Designing for Tomorrow’s Demands, brings together people who have taken creative approaches to solving social and environmental issues.

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TakePart is the digital news and lifestyle magazine from Participant Media, the company behind such acclaimed documentaries as CITIZENFOUR, An Inconvenient Truth, and Food, Inc. and feature films including Lincoln and Spotlight.